Many of the emails I receive are from readers who have questions on the topic of uniformed versus plain clothes in regards to fugitive apprehension and arrest warrants.
Through correspondence with officers from multiple jurisdictions, many have stated that their particular agencies do not operate a "plain clothes" division. In addition, many administrators articulated that they prefer their officers remain in uniforms even when a covert roll would increase the chances of a successful mission.
Although my personal experiences have proven that plain clothes approaches are highly successful, my broadened stance regarding arrest warrant investigations while in uniform will remain the same, "Never fold your hand until you see the flop." In layman's terms, even if it appears from the surface that the odds are not in your favor, it does not mean that all is lost with the mission or task at hand. It is vital to look at each warrant investigation on a case by case basis.
When working fugitive operations, an officer needs to immediately find a way to work through obstacles and boundaries while still following departmental guidelines and operational procedures. If your particular agency is adamant on wearing a uniform to conduct arrest warrants, then my suggestion is to develop your own techniques and methods to tackle these assignments using methodical and systematic tactics.
Areas to consider:
Uniformed and Marked Vehicle Approaches
If you are going to knock on a door in a uniform to make a warrant arrest, you have just eliminated any chance of being covert from the equation. Now, I am not going to say that it cannot be done but the reflective stickers that illustrate POLICE -911 and LED light bar will be a good indicator for your fugitive that the police have just arrived to take him or her back to jail. So, if you must approach in uniform and a marked unit, attempt to position your vehicle out of direct view of the fugitive's residence. On the other side of the coin, do not position it so far away that your target's look-outs or associates will have time to call him/her or in a manner that will hinder your ability to return to your vehicle should the situation call to.
Day versus Night
Again, any opportunity to increase your chances of approaching undetected will significantly improve your odds of a successful arrest/apprehension. Although a reasonable thought would be to approach during low light or night time conditions, it has been my own experience that many of our fugitives also operate during evening hours. Oddly enough, during many of our day light operations we find our fugitives either getting ready for bed, still in bed or on their 800th game of Halo III and much less likely to suspect the knock on the door at 7:00AM is the police.
Another consideration is that in low light conditions, in unfamiliar areas, the need to operate flashlights and other tools will increase the chance of being detected and provide your fugitive with the one thing you DO NOT want him/her to have... time to plan or think.
Phone Calls & Citizen Surveillance
An added tool for uniformed officers wanting to approach a residence during the night or day is the need to verify your suspect is home prior to your approach. (See Arrest Warrant Leads - August 2007 - Officer.com)
Making contact with the mail carrier, next door neighbor, UPS or pizza delivery driver can prove useful prior to approaching in uniform. Furthermore, a cell phone call to the fugitive's home made from a few blocks away may prove useful to verify that he/she is home and will allow you to better position your vehicle for a daytime approach.
Multiple Vehicle & Multiple Officer Approaches
Although restricted in many departments by manpower and/or budget constraints, by far the most successful uniformed approach is done with multiple officers. While the equivalent obstacles exist as with any uniformed approach, the ability to provide additional eyes and ears and officer backup can prove very valuable. Even though attention to officer and vehicle positioning is still a concern, proper planning and intelligence gathering can provide a successful mission even during daylight hours.
Uniform versus Plain Clothes
Regardless if your department is willing to develop and implement an active course of action in respects to plain clothes arrest warrants, a motivated uniformed officer can still be just as effective if he/she will develop their own techniques when conducting these types of investigations. The ability of each individual officer to examine what works and what does not, will come with time, training and real life encounters. As long as you have the desire to "shoot your best stick, "think outside of the box" and maintain your and your colleague's safety, uniformed approaches to arrest warrants are a reachable undertaking for both you and your agency.
Good Luck, Be Safe & Happy Hunting!
